27 April 2010

Growing Resistance to Helmet Laws?

Do I dare say that there is a growing resistance to helmet laws? It would seem so. There is more media attention of late on the subject.

And then there's this quote:"We are the safest and healthiest human beings who ever lived, and yet irrational fear is growing, with deadly consequences — such as the 1,595 Americans killed when they made the mistake of switching from planes to cars after September 11. In part, this irrationality is caused by those — politicians, activists, and the media — who promote fear for their own gain."Dan Gardner, Canadian author of "Risk"

Kilburn, you see, no longer wears a helmet while riding his bike. The Richmond resident, who has commuted to work by bicycle for the last 26 years, has come to the realization that mandatory helmet laws are actually bad for cyclists and Metro Vancouver’s cycling environment.

“It’s too bad well-intentioned individuals have harmed cycling advocacy by forcing riders to wear helmets,” he told me. Kilburn also maintains the same law is hampering Vancouver’s attempt to set up a bike sharing program.

He’s not alone in his assessment of helmet laws as more hindrance than help. In 2007, Saskatoon’s city council rejected a bylaw that would require bikers to wear helmets. One councillor wisely cited Canada’s obesity epidemic as a reason to distance the city from punitive measures that would discourage folks to get on a two-wheeler.

This is not to say that cyclists shouldn’t wear helmets. Most should — especially children, and those who ride in heavy traffic. But forcing riders to wear head protection in every circumstance has had the effect of killing any spontaneity and enjoyment from cycling.

Not only do helmets give some riders a false sense of security, they also send a message to motorists that cyclists are somehow better protected — and less vulnerable — in the case of a collision.

Sadly, the law is symptomatic of the nanny-state mentality that is so pervasive today.

Last September, Colin Clarke, a bike safety expert and former coach with the British Cycling Federation, published a detailed report entitled “Evaluating bicycle helmet use and legislation in Canada.”

According to his report, “helmet law effects in Canada appear to have resulted in the public being fined, subject to police involvement, loss of cycling health benefits and a reduction in civil liberties, as well as additional accidents and longer hospital stays for head injury.”

Canada, his research concludes, should emulate the cycling culture of the Netherlands, where helmet laws are unnecessary because of “good cycling facilities or wide on-road cycle lanes that avoid high speed and heavy vehicle traffic.”

Sadly, the sensibility that exists in Holland and even Saskatoon has yet to prevail in B.C. And that means cyclists like Kilburn will have to continue riding on the wrong side of the local law.

Sue, you may recall, was ticketed for riding without a helmet and decided to fight the ticket. The first judge ruled against her, but when she took it to the next judicial level, the judge quashed her conviction. While the appeal was dimissed, she is no longer a criminal, doesn't have to pay the fine and her unexpected half-victory is important.

After reading (and I urge everyone to read it) the excellent article by WJ Curnow (2008) entitled 'Bicycle Helmets: A Scientific Evaluation', I am satisfied that bicycle helmets are, at best useless and, at worst, more dangerous than not wearing a helmet.

The states here in Australia were bribed into introducing these laws despite any evidence of their efficacy in return for road funding which was certainly not spent on bike lanes... what a joke. None of them have the balls to revoke the law now...

I'm glad that people around the world are questioning some of the dumb 'sticking plaster' rules that are applied around the world, especially compulsory helmet legislation. But we must be on our guard, the island of Jersey, a part of the UK which self-governs, just passed mandatory cycle helmet laws for the under-18s (and only narrowly voted against helmet laws for adults too)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/8559668.stm

I am sure they are not the only country with this coming up on their statute books....

bike helmets are going to become compulsory in Italy as well. Another country where cycling has been popular for ages, going down the route of "specialistic" clothing and useless safety regulations. I do wonder how much the helmet manufacturers have to do with this?Vittoria

Great that you added that article in about Vancouver. I'm from Surrey (suburb of Vancouver, although it's quite all the same more or less) and it sucks how we have to wear helmets all the time, although I definately understand the importance of it.

It's more like we want to be safe because there have been a lot of accidents from drivers where bikers have been hit and have suffered a lot, and it's occurred a lot because we have helmet laws now. When I see pictures of people in Europe, I do think them more fashionable...

i'm personally hoping this bicycle helmet law will see a war on the police in general. As well as australian politicians and the medical establishment who are also.behind it. The human rights atrocities committed by the general publics complicity with these clowns has gone on for far too long.

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.